Of Silver Stallions and Auburn Tresses
by TwilightVampire-Princess
Summary: Mei Hua is a nurse dealing with the wounded in battle. She longs to meet the man of her dreams and experience first love. So when she meets the splendid Ma Chao, she is smitten. But, as time wears on, threats loom ever closeer. Will it all be too late?
1. Prologue: A Firm Agreement

**Of Silver Stallions and Auburn Tresses**

**Disclaimer: I happen to own Huang Mei Hua and her family (excluding Huang Zhong). But unless you've never seen them in Dynasty Warriors before... I don't own them.**

A/N: _So hey guys, I am so excited about this story! The idea just came to me in a dream and I thought "this would be a great FanFiction story." So here it is... all out for you guys to faun over and hopefully enjoy. Remember, reviews are always welcome, as is constructive criticism. However, posts asking me to change my writing style or storyline can suck on it... If you don't like it, just leave..._

_But.. to leave you guys on a good note; hope you enjoy this story and remember to review my lovelies..._

_Love,_

_TwilightVampire-Princess xx_

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**Prologue: A Firm Agreement**

The storm howling outside rocked the windows violently. Since when did it thunderstorm in late May? Huang Liang, who had always been superstitious believed that the harsh weather meant that evil was coming their way.

"Evil, father? Do be sensible. It is simply just the change from Spring to Summer. None of this "evil" business," his oldest son, Huang Xi, who was incredibly wise and destined to be a scholar, informed him.

"Yeah well... it smells like evil to me," Liang muttered, his eyes narrowed as he gazed out of the window at the darkness outside.

"Daddy, why are you sad?" His youngest child, a daughter of just four wondered, her pretty little face frowning in worry.

Liang forced his expression into a smile for her, reaching down to scoop her into his arms for a cuddle. "No sweetheart, I'm not sad. Daddy's perfectly fine."

"What's that sound?" Xi suddenly asked, shooting his father a look of concern. "It sounds like a carriage is pulling up outside."

Liang's face adopted the frown again, as he strained his ears to hear. Sure enough, from outside came the faint sound of hooves on the concrete and voices, although he couldn't catch what they were saying, nor did he recognise whom they belonged to.

"Perhaps we have some visitors," Jian, his youngest son spoke up, looking excited at the prospect of having new people to meet and show his "artistic" drawings to.

"In this weather, Jian?" Xi spoke in a scornful tone, one he often reserved for those he thought were dumber than him. Which, in his eyes, was almost everyone. "I highly doubt it."

Before anyone could think of another theory for the odd sounds in the night air, someone tapped hard on the front door, and they all jumped in shock.

"Take Mei and stay in here. I'll go and check who it is," Liang gave Xi a firm command, almost throwing his little sister into his arms. Xi held Mei close and nodded, his lips mashed together in an array of emotions.

Jian, Xi and Mei in his arms all stood at the doorway, their heads peering out as they watched their father reach for something before opening the door.

"L-Lord Cao?" Liang asked in a shocked tone, staring into the face of the man he had once served.

"You look well, Liang. I see life has been good to you," Cao Cao greeted him, an odd smile appearing on his face.

"Well... you could say that," Liang muttered, remembering why he had left Cao Cao's force in the first place. He had met a girl. A girl who had been the daughter of the opposing side. Once Cao Cao had seen how lovelorn he was without her, he had allowed Liang to take his leave of him, after making him promise that he would repay Cao's kindness once the time was right. And it seemed like that time might have just come.

"Well... will you not invite me in, old friend?" Cao Cao wondered, his hair flat against his face from the torrential rain outside.

"Of course, my lord," Liang offered, trying to hide the uncertainty that he was sure was obvious in his tone. "Would you like some tea, perhaps? To warm you up?"

Cao Cao smiled, so wide that his teeth were on show. Liang couldn't help noticing how menacing it looked. "Mmm. Some tea would be very kind, thank you."

Liang shut the front door and began to walk towards the main room, where all the children still stood, watching their visitor with identical wide eyes.

"Oh. What lovely children you have," Cao Cao nodded at each of Liang's offspring in turn, his gaze remaining on Mei for a little longer than necessary. "I take it they are with the woman you left me for?" He said this statement in an off-handish way, as if he was still unsure of why he had left, but no longer held a grudge against him for doing so.

"Yes. My wife, Lady Huang." It was obvious that he was madly in love with this woman, just by the way he said her name.

"Interesting..." Cao Cao's face held an expression that Liang didn't understand, nor was he sure he wanted to. "And what are their names?"

"Xi, Jian and Mei Hua," Liang pointed to each of his children as he said their names, a proud smile apparent on his face; as it always was when he talked about his children. They were his pride and joy.

"Ah... very nice. Especially the little girl. She will grow up to be a beauty one day."

"Yes..." Liang nodded, turning his face away from the King of Wei so that he couldn't see his frowning expression.

There was a long silence, broken only by Mei Hua yawning widely, all her baby teeth on show.

"Jian, can you take Mei to get ready for bed?"

"Yes father," Jian replied, picking Mei up into his arms and leaving the room quickly, relieved that he had an excuse to go.

"And I'll make the tea," Xi nodded, rushing into the kitchen before his father had a chance to protest.

Now that it was just Liang and Cao in the room, Cao Cao seemed to get whatever he had come for off his chest.

"Now Liang, do you remember that time, years ago, when you asked me if you could take your leave of me?"

Liang nodded slowly, unsure of where this was going to end up. But something told him it wasn't going to be somewhere nice.

"Well, when I let you go, do you remember what I said to you?"

"You told me that one day, I would have to repay your kindness," Liang knew immediately that this was what he was referring to. After all, Cao Cao wasn't the type of man to travel miles in a rainstorm just to say hello. He wanted something. Something that he thought Liang could give him. Liang felt shivers run down his spine.

"Good memory, Liang," Cao congratulated him, his green eyes wide with feigned surprise. "Well... I've thought of a way you could repay me."

******

"Why is he leaving so soon, father?" Xi wondered, as he and Liang watched Cao Cao rush back out into the rain and into the grand-looking carriage that had obviously been waiting for him all this time.

"He... he just wanted to see how I'd been, that's all," Liang lied badly, his eyes never leaving the cart as the driver whipped the horses into a fast trot down the lane and out of sight.

"Oh..." Xi frowned, the untouched tea that he had made for the Wei commander forgotten in his hands.

Liang struggled to smile as he finally closed the door, bolting it fully before he turned around to face his eldest son. "Hmm, it's getting late. You have school in the morning remember?"

Xi nodded, setting the teacup on the table by the door. "Good night father," he murmured, as he made his way down the hallway towards his bedchamber.

Liang didn't answer, his mind completely elsewhere. He couldn't believe what Cao Cao had requested from him for ample "payback". Liang had just figured that perhaps the King of Wei would want some gold or far-fetched item in return for his kindness all those years ago. But he had requested something much more important that any gem.

"_I believe that taking your daughter's hand in marriage when she is of age would be fair, don't you?"_ he had said.

Liang had tried to reason with him, but unsurprisingly, Cao Cao wasn't ready to listen. If there was one trait that he remembered from his time serving Cao, it would be that he was incredibly stubborn and strong-willed. Once he had set his mind on something, there would be no stopping him until he got it.

"_And..."_ Cao Cao had continued, after Liang's persuasive tactics had failed. "_I can always take something else AS WELL AS your little girl if you refuse. Like your lovely wife's life for example?"_

He had managed to hit him exactly where it hurt. And so, Liang had found himself agreeing to something he knew he would regret for the rest of his life. But perhaps things would have changed in fourteen years time, when Cao expected to marry Mei Hua.

Liang laughed without a trace of humor. As if _that_ would happen. Cao Cao would wait forever to get what he desired...

Liang turned to look out the window. In place of the rainstorm that had been hitting hard just five minutes ago, a clear sky had taken its place, the clouds parting to reveal a half moon and a red sky full of twinkling stars. It seemed, for now at least, that the evil had passed.

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_Well, this is just the prologue, to give you a bit of an understanding of the story before it actually begins. But... I hope you enjoyed it so far and I look forward to the reviews! (Hint, Hint)_

_Love,_

_TV-P_

_xx_


	2. Chapter 1: The Hot Dinner

**Of Silver Stallions and Auburn Tresses**

**Disclaimer: I own my OC and all of her family. Other DW characters featured in this belong to Koei...**

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**Chapter I: The "Hot" Dinner**

"Injured man in tent three, can I have some assistance please!"

One of the nurses, a small, slender woman who barely spoke and always hid behind her hair nodded, rushing off to where she was needed.

This was warfare. Warriors who were constantly injured fighting for what they believed in, fighting for peace throughout China. And the dozens of nurses were their saviours. Angels in a dark hell.

"It's crazy isn't it?"

Mei Hua looked up at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. It was a stout woman, perhaps seven years her senior who had spoken. She had a pretty, plump face, with bright green eyes and thin lips outlined in scarlet red lip-liner. She reminded Mei of a motherly figure, with her big bosom and comforting arms.

"Yes, yes it is," Mei replied, embarrassed at how prissy her voice sounded compared to the older matron's lower-class drawl.

"You're new here, aren't you?" The older woman wondered, one dark brown eyebrow raised in question.

Mei nodded, grabbing a spare bandage from the metal cart and stroking it absent-mindedly.

"I'm Chan Li, nice to meet you."

Mei took her strong hand in greeting. "Mei Hua," she replied.

Chan Li opened her mouth to speak but the sound of a female voice screaming made them both look towards the source of the noise.

"Matron Chan, we need you here immediately!"

Chan Li made an apologetic face, lifting herself up from the stool she had been perched on. "Well nice to meet you, Mei Hua. I guess I'll see you around," she smiled.

"That would be nice," Mei nodded, watching the woman run towards the exit, her heeled shoes clacking loudly on the stone floor.

Mei Hua had been training to be a professional nurse for six months now. She'd always wanted to help people and save lives, but becoming a doctor had always been out of the question. In China, women just weren't doctors. It was a fact of life, however unfair.

But she had been determined not to give up her dream, and when someone suggested that she become a war nurse, tending to the wounded warriors who went out to battle, Mei set her eyes on a new career.

And now, here she was, behind the scenes with the soldiers of Shu, with only two months left of training before she became a professional nurse with her own tent, alongside the male doctors that were always close at hand.

During her time here, she had seen things that she had never imagined she would see. Warriors with blood-soaked armor and missing limbs, men clinging to life with weapons still embedded in their chests. The horrors of war were not for the faint-hearted. But there had been good points as well. She had watched and helped nurse soldiers back to full health, made many new friends in all the trainee nurses that worked alongside her and made her father proud.

"Mei, we've been invited to dinner with some of the warriors!"

Liang Sha, Mei's best friend since she had joined the nurses, screeched in her ear, her cat-like eyes wide with excitement. "Men, Mei Hua, hot men!"

Mei smiled at her friend's words. Liang Sha was obsessed with men in general. She seemed to be in a permanent state of lustiness, and was never afraid to spill all the gory details of all the things she'd done with previous boyfriends to the rest of the girls back at their accommodation.

"That's great Liang!" Mei tried to enthuse, not as excited about all the "hot" men as the nineteen-year-old obviously was.

Liang Sha rolled her azure eyes at Mei's "enthusiasm". "Don't you get it Mei? Finally, a chance for you to get laid!"

She knew how posh she must have sounded gasping like a regal old woman, but Mei Hua couldn't help it. "Liang Sha! There is no way that... _that_ is going to happen to me tonight. How many times must I remind you?"

Liang Sha snickered naughtily at Mei's shocked tone. "Gods, I adore you, Mei! You're so innocent! I think it's sweet."

Now it was Mei's turn to roll her eyes. As the youngest girl out of all the trainee nurses, she often found herself being looked after by the older women, who felt it was their duty to tend to her. Occasionally, it pissed Mei Hua off. Why must she always be treated like a little child?

"Whatever, Liang Sha," Mei murmured, diverting her eyes away from her friend's pretty face.

When Mei had first seen Liang Sha, she had wondered if the girl had wanted to become a nurse just because it sounded good. She had managed to make the regulatory nurses' outfit sexy, opening the top buttons to expose her ample cleavage, and sewing the hem of the one-piece inches above her knees, so that her long legs were constantly on show. Her silk cap was always tilted at a seductive side angle on her perfect chestnut waves and her full red lips seemed to scream for male attention.

But, after a while, she had realised that the gorgeous young woman had a soft side. She had once confessed to Mei that since her beloved father had died in battle, she had set her hearts on becoming a war nurse. And since then, it seemed the two had become firm friends. Although Mei sometimes wondered how odd the two of them must look, Liang, the voluptuous, beautiful feline, and her, the innocent, pretty little adolescent. But that hadn't stopped them.

Liang put one slender arm around Mei's shoulders, squeezing her tight to her large chest. "Come on babes, it will be fun! Say you'll go!"

Mei had always found it almost impossible to say no to someone. Which was a trait about herself that she often cursed. "Fine, I'll go."

"Great!" Liang squealed, the huge grin unable to leave her face. "And don't worry about finding something to wear, I promise you, I have the _perfect_ dress."

It might have sounded like a nice gesture, but Mei knew what Liang meant. Liang Sha's idea of "perfect" wasn't quite the same as Mei's. So, this "perfect" dress probably had a neckline plunging somewhere around the navel, which was a complete no-no for Mei. But, she would give Liang the benefit of the doubt this once. "Great," she smiled, making a face when Liang looked away.

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"So, ladies, what was it that made you want to become nurses?"

Mei Hua could strangle Liang Sha right now. They had been sitting at this table for at least an hour, being bored stiff by the casual conversation that was being passed around idly.

"So much for hot guys, Liang," Mei muttered quietly, knowing that Liang would hear her from her position next to her at the table.

"Well... I thought that really gorgeous one would come at least!" Liang protested, taking a sip of her iced tea.

Mei sniffed in contempt.

Xiang Li, Zhang Xi Lei, Mei Hua and Liang Sha had spent almost two hours getting beautified for their joint dinner dates with some of the men of Shu that night. But, when the men finally arrived, disappointment was the only expression evident on all their faces.

"I expected them to at least be younger than forty!" Xi Lei had growled, while they were all being escorted into carriages that were to take them to the restaurant with their "hot" dates.

Pang Tong, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Liu Bei and Guan Ping might have been sweet and friendly, but they certainly weren't the nurses' idea of a good time.

"Urgh, if he carries on watching me, I swear, I'll kick his ass!" Xiang Li muttered, staring daggers at Zhang Fei, whose eyes had barely left her cleavage all night.

The nurses who had heard Xiang's threat burst into laughter, while the men looked confused.

"What's so funny, girls?" Liu Bei asked, his fresh face breaking into an unsure smile.

Mei had to admit that the commander of Shu was rather adorable. He was the one who had organised this to reward the nurses for all their hard work and ever since they had arrived, he had been all compliments and big grins. But this crappy night wasn't his fault. After all, how was he to know that this would all end up a boring sham?

"Nothing sir," Mei reassured him, giving him a big, innocent grin to show that he wasn't the butt of the joke.

Mei watched as Zhang Fei dragged his eyes away from Xiang Li and towards the food that the waiters had just arrived with. The moment the coronation chicken with noodles that he had ordered was put in front of him, he began to eat, stopping only to slug the cup of complimentary ale that he had received with it.

"Disgusting pig!" Mei was sure she heard Xiang Li murmur, her narrowed eyes glaring at the overweight, younger, lewdest member of the three oath brothers.

"Surely there are more members of Shu than just you fine men?" Mei heard Liang ask in her naturally alluring voice, her Kohl-rimmed eyes glancing to all the men around the table in turn, as she rested her appealing face in her perfectly manicured hands. "What has happened to the rest who were supposed to come?"

"I'm afraid they all were busy tonight," the youngest of all the men, and Guan Yu's adopted son, Guan Ping chose to answer her question. "Master Zhao Yun and Zhuge Liang apologise for their absence."

"Mmm, _that_ was his name. Zhao Yun," Liang Sha smiled at Mei, ignoring the young man's reply unintentionally. "Now _that_ was a hot young warrior!"

Mei Hua giggled at Liang Sha's comment. Handsome men seemed to be all that she could think of. Especially in the absence of any.

Mei gasped aloud as she felt something brush against her leg. Looking down, she saw a folded napkin, scrawled with elegant writing.

_We've got to escape this before I die of boredom...  
Someone do something to get us out of here!  
Pass this on... _

___Love Xiang Li x _

Mei smiled, pushing the paper inconspicuously into Liang's silk clad lap. The older girl looked down, her eyes scanning the text before she gave a slight nod of her head, informing Mei silently that she would try.

Fifteen minutes passed and the conversation had long stopped, as everyone finished their meals.

"I'm afraid we've got to go!" Liang suddenly faux-sighed, her eyes displaying sadness to Liu Bei and Guan Yu, who both tutted in sympathy.

"Yes, we have to have an early night since we have _such_ a long day tomorrow," Zhang Xi Lei, the eldest of all the trainee nurses at twenty-four years old, played her part well.

"Because we'd _hate_ to be worried by horrible, _sleazy_ men," Xiang Li finished, fixing her doe-eyed stare meaningfully at Zhang Fei, who gave her a sheepish grin in return.

"Of course ladies, of course," Pang Tong nodded, his charming face pulled into a sweet smile. "We'll escort you to the carriages right away."

Thank the gods for that! Mei was sure she heard the rest of the girls sigh in relief at Pang Tong's suggestion.

After having their meals paid for them, courtesy of the lovely Liu Bei, they all left the restaurant, eyeing the carriages that they had come in, ready to drop them back. All the nurses scrambled into one of the two, after giving the men who had "treated" them tonight a wave or quick peck. Liang Sha was the last to enter a carriage, after having placed a flirty kiss on Guan Ping's lips, shocking the poor boy into silence.

"Gods, you really freaked him out, Liang!" Xiang Li giggled, as their carriage set off, leaving the five men still waving behind. "He was still touching his lips after you'd left him!"

Liang Sha smiled, rolling her blue eyes in a non-commiting manner. "He'll get over it," she assured them. "And if he doesn't, I'm sure his daddy will make it all better!"

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_First chapter's over and done with now, hope you guys all enjoyed it. Remember, reviews are always lovely, and I'll reply to them a.s.a.p._

_Lots of love,_

TwilightVampire-Princess xx


	3. Chapter 2: Lusty Nurses

**Of Silver Stallions and Auburn Tresses**

**Disclaimer: _Mei Hua is mine, the Dynasty Warriors characters aren't..._**

A/N: _Throughout this story, the battles referenced to are in no set order. So don't worry if you think I've made a mistake. I'm just changing the original facts around a bit to suit my story..._

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**Chapter Two: Lusty Nurses**

**Two Months Later...**

"I can't believe it! Professional nurses!" Mei Hua squealed, her certificate of merit held close to her chest.

"I know, right!" Liang Sha enthused with her, her own certificate was being used as a make-shift fan, blowing strands of her beautiful, shiny hair around her face.

Two months had passed by in a blur, and now, the trainee nurses were no longer in training. They had all managed to pass their practical exams with flying colours and were officially professionals, with the ability to treat warriors without the constant supervision of the battlefield doctors.

Four confused faces looked towards the doorway as Zhang Xi Lei, the loudest of the five nurses squealed. "Oh my gods! Guess what girls!"

"What?" Four unsure voices asked in unison.

Xi Lei opened a folded piece of paper and displayed it, pulling it away before the girls got a chance to read it. "We're being shipped off to the war!"

The four nurses gasped in a mixture of excitement, worry and shock.

"Who's fighting whom?" Liang Sha asked, her finger twirling a lock of her long, flexuous hair unconsciously.

"Well it says here that Shu-Han are against some people in the region of Cheng Du. And they want _us_ to be the nurses off-battle!"

"Excellent," Xiang Li grinned, her cheeks rosy with excitement. "Write back straight away, telling them that we'd be honored to help!"

Mei Hua was frozen with shock. This wasn't like training any more. They wouldn't just be able to call a doctor whenever they didn't want to do something. It was their jobs now, to help the wounded warriors, who depended on them for aid. This wasn't fun and games any more. It was real life...

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"Pass me some fabric that I can use as a tourniquet!" Mei Hua yelled, above the moans of pain that the man below her was giving.

The assistant grabbed some cloth quickly, handing it to Mei Hua, who scrutinized it carefully.

"_Clean_ cloth, Ran Fian! We don't want infection to set in!"

Ran Fian nodded, taking the cloth she was being handed back, and producing some clean material in exchange.

Mei took it, wrapping it around the patient's heavily bleeding neck and tying it tight, in an effort to stop the blood flow until the doctor came to sew the wound up. "You'll be just fine," she reassured him with a sympathetic smile, stroking his damp hair affectionately.

It had been almost two weeks since the nurses had received the message that they would be needed in Cheng Du, where Shu were fighting. Once Liu Bei had received their positive reply, he had had them shipped all the way to Cheng Du, where they were given a day's rest before the fighting begun.

She'd always known that being a nurse was hard work, but she had hardly thought it would be _this_ hard. They were being forced to work quickly, since there wasn't enough nurses to the ratio of injured men. But even though she would often find herself breaking a sweat, as she rushed to do a good job before she was called elsewhere, Mei was thriving. She thrived on the fact that she was saving lives, and making the injured warriors much more comfortable. She honestly knew she had been born to do this.

"Mei, they need you next door!" Liang Sha stuck her head into the tent's doorway, her expression unreadable.

"Okay," Mei nodded reluctantly, glancing once more at the man on the make-shift bed, sleeping fitfully.

"Don't worry, I'll look after him," Liang Sha reassured her, ushering the younger girl out of the door quickly.

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Mei rested her head on the thick pillows, sighing in relief. All their hard work was done for the day, and now all the nurses were back in the temporary accommodation that they had been staying in while the campaign for Cheng Du wore on.

"Mmm, I really miss it," Mei heard Liang Sha's voice from the bunk bed beneath her, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Miss what?" She asked, her face frowning in confusion.

"Being intimate with a gorgeous guy," Liang giggled naughtily. "It's been such a long while."

The room suddenly broke into giggles and conversation, with Xiang Li and Xi Lei talking about their own sexual experiences with the opposite sex.

"Xiang Li, you mean you're not a... virgin?" The quiet voice of Li En Xing wondered aloud, a hint of surprise colouring her gentle tone.

Xiang Li gave a dirty cackle, from her position on the bunk above Xi Lei. "Nope, not the last time I checked!"

Liang Sha, Mei Hua and Xi Lei snickered at Xiang Li's response. En Xing said nothing, and Mei noticed that her eyes were wide with shock even in the dim light.

Mei wasn't incredibly surprised, but then again, she knew Xiang Li much more than En Xing did. Xiang Li looked incredibly innocent at first glance, with her large green eyes, cupid's bow lips and slender little body. But when she opened her mouth with a string of profanities, all _that_ innocence went straight out the window, faster than Lu Bu on Red Hare.

"Ooh, what's the _best _sex you've ever had?" Liang Sha enquired nosily, her naturally seductive tone making the question sound even lewder than it really was.

"This one time, with three _totally_ hot brothers," Xiang Li immediately began and Mei heard En Xing gasp aloud.

"You mean... you _did_ it with _three_ men at one time?!"

"Yes, En Xing, I did," Xiang Li answered the girl's question, and Mei could hear that she was struggling not to giggle at En Xing's freaked out tone.

"B-But, _how_ is that even _possible_?" She asked again, her breathing accelerating as she thought about it.

"Gods, En Xing, you are such a _prude_!" Xi Lei laughed. "How do you _think _it's possible?"

"Well _I_ don't know and I'd rather not find out!" En Xing muttered, her lips mashed together in horror as she shook her head hard, almost like she was trying to clear her head of such thoughts.

Mei Hua was sure Liang Sha was probably rolling her eyes at the quietest girl's outburst, since Xi Lei snickered.

"Well no one's forcing you to listen, En Xing," Xi Lei reminded her, her eyes cast up to the bunk above. "Carry on Xiang Li!"

Mei couldn't help thinking that perhaps En Xing was being a little silly, as the girl buried deeper into her bedsheets, using the pillow to cover her head.

Liang Sha and Xi Lei suddenly burst into dirty laughter, as Xiang Li obviously reached the punchline of her anecdote.

"Me next, me next!" Liang Sha giggled excitedly, once their laughter had died down.

Mei Hua, who was a pure virgin herself, often wondered what it was like to be with a man intimately, like her friends were describing so vividly right then. She wasn't interested in one night affairs like Liang Sha, nor did the idea of a threesome appeal to her, like it so obviously did to Xiang Li. She liked the idea of being committed to one man, and one man only; a man who would be the love of her life, and who she could have a real family with and take care of, just like her mother had done to her father, her brothers and her, when she was a child.

"... and it was _so_ big!" Mei tuned back into the conversation going on around her, slightly embarrassed at her best friend's words. She thanked the gods for the night sky, since the rest of the girls couldn't see and tease her for blushing.

Xi Lei, Liang Sha and Xiang Li all seemed confident that they would find someone amazing while serving Shu. Mei was not so sure. She'd already been living here for almost four months, without any luck. Not that she was _searching_ for a lover, but it _would_ be nice to experience her first beau while she was working around. The closest _she'd_ ever come to the experiences that they were talking about was when she was pecked on the lips by a drunk farm hand when she was fifteen. A story she was sure, the other girls wouldn't be too impressed with.

"Goodnight girls," Mei called out, when she heard Liang's story eventually end.

"Night," Xi Lei, Liang Sha and Xiang Li replied in unison. Judging by the heavy breathing coming from En Xing's bunk, she assumed the more timid girl had already fallen asleep.

"Goodnight En Xing," Mei murmured anyway, settling her tired head down onto the pillow.

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_That's the second chapter done and dusted for now. Hope you enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to any reviews you lovely people decide to bring my way. Next chapter will be up very soon..._

_TwilightVampire-Princess xx_


	4. Chapter 3: The Mysterious Patient

**Of Silver Stallions and Auburn Tresses**

**Disclaimer: I own Mei Hua and all her nurse-y friends. I don't own anyone featured in the DW series; they belong to Koei, and their natural heritages...**

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**Chapter 3: The Mysterious Patient**

**A few months later...**

Mei Hua wiped her forehead, breathing hard. The weather outside was hot and the tents did little to conceal that fact. The weather change meant checking the patients for temperature much more often than before, and making sure that they had plenty of fresh, clean water to drink.

"Will I be okay, ma'am?"

Mei looked down to see the young lady guard she had treated resting on the bed, her hands holding her rounded stomach protectively.

"Of course you will, sweetheart. You and your baby."

The girl, who was perhaps no older than Mei herself, breathed a sigh of relief, wincing as she moved her sprained ankle accidentally.

"You must avoid putting weight on your ankle," Mei advised her. "It will help it recover much quicker."

"Thank you, ma'am, for all your hard work," the teenager grinned, although Mei could see that her face was drawn and tired.

"It's a pleasure," Mei told her truthfully, adjusting the pointed silk cap that was making its way down her auburn hair. "Now you take a rest, get some sleep. You must be very tired."

"Mmm," the girl replied, her eyes already closed and her mass of ebony hair splayed across the white pillow.

Mei left the tent and stepped into the blazing summer heat, having a sudden urge to jump into the freshwater lake that she could see a few dozen meters away from the battleground hospital. She felt sorry for the men and women fighting a few hundred meters north. Surely they couldn't fight well in all that heavy armor in the heat?

As she shielded the sunlight from her eyes with her hand, Mei saw something coming towards her. It was coming from the North, and it looked like a grey horse, although she couldn't tell if it was loose, or if someone was riding it. The horse was moving quite quickly, but at a smooth pace, as if it was being especially careful. As it got closer, she could see that there was indeed someone on it, and the person was riding towards her.

"Oh!" She gasped in surprise, as the horse stopped some ten meters from where she was still standing, breathing hard.

From this close, she realised that it had been a man riding it, complete in armor from the battlefield. His head was completely down and she could hear that his breathing was jagged, even from where she was standing.

Her eyes glanced to what he was watching and she gasped again. There was an arrow lodged into the thinner material of his stomach armor, and what she supposed was once green in colour was now blood red.

Mei rushed up to his horse, almost tripping on the grass as she moved. Her hand reached out to touch the man's leg, and only then did he look up.

_Oh my gods! He is so... handsome._

His dark brows were furrowed in pain, and his pale green eyes bored into Mei Hua. His full lips trembled with words he was struggling to say.

"I-I better get you back to the... uh, tent," Mei stuttered, wanting to slap herself for acting like such an idiot. "Here, I'll help you down. Can you walk, perhaps?"

"Y-yes my lady," he managed to stumble out, his eyes never leaving her form as she held her hand out to help him off his horse.

Eventually, he was on the floor. Mei wrapped her arms around him, although he was at least seven inches taller than her. She could feel him trying hard not to put his weight onto her slender body, even in his injured state. _Gods, such a gentleman... why haven't I noticed him before?_

"It is alright sir, I don't mind if you lean against me," she told him, meeting his warm green eyes and feeling a blush colour her alabaster cheeks.

"T-thank you," he breathed out, his eyes squinted shut in pain as they hobbled over to a free tent. With his eyes off her for a moment, Mei got to properly take in the mysterious man's face.

Long, dark lashes fringed his eyelids, resting against his lightly tanned cheek while they were shut. His straight, slender nose was flared, as he struggled to control his breathing. His teeth were biting down hard on his full lower lip, making the colour drain from them. He was obviously in a lot of pain, and Mei wanted to get him comfortable as quick as she could.

They pushed through the soft veil of a tent door, and Mei was thankful to see that it was empty inside.

"Would you lie down please sir?" Mei spoke up, watching his eyes open again, boring into her hazel ones.

He slowly sat down on the bed, wincing as the position brought extra pain to his injured stomach. Gradually leaning back until he was stretched straight out, he gave Mei a faint smile.

Mei grinned back, observing the damage as quickly as she could without leaving him in unnecessary pain for too long.

"Right," Mei murmured to herself, detached the armor from the young man's body as effortlessly and as painlessly as she could manage. Now that there was nothing to hide behind, the wound made itself clear.

The arrow was enshrouded in his muscular abs, although thankfully for both of them, not too deep.

"I'm going to have to take it out," Mei told him apologetically. "I'm sorry if it hurts."

The man just shook his head, the faint smile back as his eyes watched her carefully. "It is fine, my lady. Do as you need."

Reassured that he would be okay, Mei moved one hand down to the base of the arrow, where the head was pierced in his gut. She slowly began to ease the head out, aware of the man's grimace, his eyes screwed shut as he bit hard on his lip. A few seconds later, the whole arrow was out of his body, and the wound was clean. Thankfully, the arrow had remained intact when it entered him.

Placing the offending weapon on the metal tray, Mei poured Herbal Remedy onto some cloth, using it to gingerly wipe at the wound, drawing out any dirt that might have gotten into it.

"The wound isn't large enough to need stitches, thankfully," Mei spoke to him, grabbing some thick sheets of cloth from the tray and soaking them in more Herbal Remedy before wrapping them around his torso, where the wound was. "But you'll need to stay here for a few days at least, until the wound begins to close."

The young man sighed but nodded. "Yes my lady, and thank you ever so much for aiding me."

Mei shrugged, sitting gingerly at the corner of the bed, making sure not to jostle too much and hurt the gorgeous man any further. "No problem. It is my job."

There was silence for a few minutes, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, the man gave a gasp.

"Oh no! My horse!"

Mei frowned, more focussed on his muscular chest than his words. "Hmm?"

"My mare, Alabaster Pearl, I've left her alone!" He tried to get up, groaning as his injured stomach protested.

"Stay down!" Mei insisted, her dainty hand pressing the man's broad chest back onto the bed. "I'll tend to her."

The man nodded his approval, his handsome face breaking into a broad grin. "My lady, I swear, I owe you my life for the treatment you've given me."

Mei smiled once more before leaving the tent, to tend to his mare like she had promised.

* * *

Mei Hua pushed the tent opening apart, making her way quietly into the warm environment.

"I've tended to your mare, she's..." she was cut off by a gentle snore coming from the bed, where the man lay. He looked so innocent lying on his back, his eyelids closed softly, quiet little breaths coming from his nostrils, his full lips slightly parted.

Mei smiled, moving closer to him and touching his broad shoulder tenderly. She was surprised to feel that it was cool, though whether with sweat or temperature, she was unsure.

Without even thinking about it, Mei took the silk shawl she had been wearing around her neck off, draping it over his shoulders and chest. Perhaps that would keep him warmer.

Leaving the tent as quietly as she had come, Mei wandered to the lake. Twilight had almost come, and it seemed all the casualties were over for the day. As Mei got closer, she kicked off her shoes and ran, the silk hat flying off her head and hitting the dry grass behind her. She reached up, pulling out the pins and ribbon that were holding her hair up and letting the auburn tresses flow around her face and shoulders. And then she jumped into the cool water, giggling as the wetness made her clothes stick to her body, and her hair to her head. She had been a nurse today and tonight? It was time for her to be a child again...

* * *

_Third chapter's done, and finally comes the introduction of Ma Chao the splendid... Mmm, just thinking about him is making me hot..._

_Anyway, reviews are always appreciated... and of course, next chapter will be up soon._

_Love and cuddles to all of you out there,_

_TwilightVampire-Princess xx_


	5. Chapter 4: An Exciting Invitation

**Of Silver Stallions and Auburn Tresses**

**Disclaimer: ****I own Mei Hua and the rest of the nurses. Ma Chao is not mine (sadly) nor are the rest of the DW characters.**

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**Chapter 4: An Exciting Invitation**

Two weeks had passed since the handsome, mysterious man had requested help. Shu had won the war and therefore, Cheng Du, which everyone was pleased about. And it seemed like the celebration preparations were already well under way.

"I'll get it then," Xiang Li rolled her big, green eyes as the front door rapped. As usual, the rest of the girls were all too "busy" lying around to bother answering it.

"Oh!" Mei Hua heard Xiang say in surprise. She looked over to Liang Sha to see if she had noticed as well. She had, judging by the way her elegant dark eyebrows had risen in bewilderment.

"Look who's here ladies," Xiang Li announced, a milli-second before she re-entered the chamber they were all in. Well, all of them except En Xing, who had muttered something about buying oats earlier on that morning, and still hadn't got back yet.

Liu Bei followed Xiang, a wide grin fixed on his face as he eyed the girls buoyantly, as if he were exceptionally pleased to see them. Or perhaps he just liked the look of four attractive young women in their nightgowns and robes. "Hello ladies."

"Hello, Lord Liu Bei!" Came the reply of Mei, Xi Lei and Liang in unison, all giggling girlishly. _Were we that man-deprived?_

"And what have you come all this way for, my lord?" Liang asked him, flitting her long eyelashes at the smaller man flirtatiously.

Liu Bei blinked a few times himself, as if he was disorientated by Liang's smouldering gaze. Which he had every right to be, of course. Especially since she was dressed rather sinfully in a full body corset, which pushed her ample chest into full view of all who dared look.

"I was in the area, and was wondering if you lovely ladies would like to come to a banquet at our new palace in Cheng Du tonight? You've all been so good to us in battle, and we feel you deserve it."

The four nurses all looked at each other in a mixture of surprise, shock and excitement. Of course they would come!

"... and this time, all of Shu's warriors will be there," Liu Bei added for their benefit, as if he believed this would make the invitation more appealing to them. Which it did, naturally.

"Sure we'll come, my lord!" Xiang Li grinned at the 'man of virtue'. "Won't we girls?"

"Yeah!"

Liu Bei chuckled, pleased that his proposal had been readily accepted. His eyes moved around the large room, his expression changing to one of confusion quickly. "Where is the other nurse that resides here? I am sure there are supposed to be five of you?"

"She's gone to buy some oats," Xiang Li told him, one eyebrow raised in a sarcastic manner. Xi Lei and Liang snickered as the statement left Xiang's mouth.

"Oh..." Liu Bei looked bewildered at that, just as the girls had themselves when En Xing first told them. _What the hell did they need oats for?_

"But anyway," Liang changed the subject, her eyes boring into Liu Bei's. "May I enquire as to how we will get there, my_ noble_ lord?"

"Uh.." Liu Bei stuttered, his cheeks blushing cutely at Liang's intense gaze. "I shall send our carriages to come and pick you all up. Is five-thirty okay?"

"Five-thirty is _perfect_," Mei Hua grinned.

* * *

"Pass me some of your lipstick, quick!" Liang Sha squealed, gesturing to Xi Lei with her flawlessly manicured hand. "The carriages will be here soon!"

Xi Lei threw the small tube of rouge stick at Liang, who caught it well with one hand before it touched the ground.

As always, getting ready for an evening out was fun as well as stressful for the nurses. But today was definitely the most stressful for them all. They would be with _all_ the warriors of Shu-Han! Of _course _they needed to make an impression!

Xiang Li pouted in the mirror, adjusting the gorgeous scarlet bow that she had tied into her sleek, jaw length, ebony hair. "I'm going to make sure those boys see me without my nurses' uniform on!" She winked at Mei, who giggled in response.

The sound of the door being knocked made the four girls squeal in unison.

"They're here!" Xiang Li screeched unnecessarily.

Mei rushed to open the door, tripping on her long dress as she did so.

"H-hello... m-my lady," the man stuttered, eyeing Mei with surprise and appeasement. "Lord Liu Bei sends me to take your household to the banquet?"

"Certainly, we'll be right out," Mei gave him a smile, before returning to the chamber, which smelled strongly of cologne. "You didn't have to spray so much, Liang!"

Liang shrugged, putting the perfume bottle down and grinning. "Oh well. We'll be out of here before the fumes intoxicate us."

"Well the carriages are here now, so come on!"

All the girls rushed out, En Xing making up the rear. She hadn't been nearly as excited as the rest of them about the banquet, and hadn't bothered to dress up, preferring instead to wear a shapeless skirt that brushed her ankles coupled with a long sleeved silk top.

"Wow!" Xiang Li enthused, staring at their transport with wide eyes. "The carriages are beautiful!"

She was right. Both carriages were shaped elaborately, adorned with gold around the windows and inside the spokes of the wheels. The horses leading them looked very grand, wearing the finest leather tack and sporting intricate ornamental feathers on their brow bands.

Liang Sha and Mei rushed for the first carriage, leaving the remaining girls to board the one behind.

"Even the seats are dressed in leather!" Mei gasped, touching the soft padding. Shu were obviously doing well financially, to be able to afford such luxuries.

"Oh my gods!" Liang giggled as their carriage set of, the sound of the horses' hooves loud on the stone floor. "I am so excited about tonight!"

Mei nodded. "Me too!"

Liang might have thought she was only looking forward to the idea of a party, but something else was on Mei's mind. Namely, the mysterious man whom she had treated, with the arrow in his stomach. Would he be there too?

* * *

"We're here, madams." Liang and Mei both looked up at the sound of the carriageman opening the wooden door of the cart.

"Thank you," Mei smiled at him, lifting the long hem of her dress so that she could climb out of the cab effortlessly.

The Cheng Du palace was certainly something else. A long, pebbled pathway led to the manor itself, with well tamed land on either side. Lanterns lit the walkway, making the effect of the dim sky on the palace utterly magical.

"Glad to see you could make it, ladies," Mei hadn't noticed Liu Bei sitting on a bench nearby, obviously awaiting their arrival.

"Of course! Thank you for inviting us, my lord," Liang smiled at him.

The three of them looked up as the sound of more hoof beats became ever closer. It seemed like Xiang Li, Xi Lei and En Xing were making their entrance.

Liu Bei waited for the latter nurses to marvel at the palace before he spoke again. "Come this way girls, the rest of Shu are eagerly awaiting your appearance."

All giggling with excitement, the ladies followed Liu Bei's lead down the stone walkway, chatting amongst themselves in hushed tones.

"I can just _smell_ all those sexy men from here!" Liang joked, winking saucily at Mei.

"No, I think that's just the grass cuttings, Liang."

Liang pushed her playfully, rolling her heavily made up eyes.

"You've really got yourself a place with this one, haven't you Lord Liu Bei?" Mei heard Xi Lei comment, looking around her with amazement. "It's beautiful!"

Liu Bei turned and smiled. "Thank you. We have decided to make Cheng Du our place of permanent residence, by the way."

"Cheng Du? So the accommodation we are in now is to be our permanent residence?" Xiang Li enquired, her eyebrows raised doubtfully.

"No, no, it doesn't have to be, if you girls prefer your previous one. But it _would_ be nice to be able to see you regularly, if you were living in Cheng Du."

"Yes, but it would _also _be nice if we had somewhere a little bigger to live, _here_ in Cheng Du," Liang hinted, shooting Liu Bei a seductive smile.

"Oh, I could sort that out for you, girls! Not far from here, there is an unoccupied house, which is certainly large enough for you lovely ladies. We received it... when we took Cheng Du," Liu Bei winced at the last part. He didn't enjoy talking about warfare and taking others' lands, especially when those lands had belonged to someone he had once been close to.

"Oh, that would be very nice!" Mei enthused. The idea of somewhere new to live, especially if it was bigger and closer to the grand palace of Cheng Du, was very appealing to her.

"Good. Perhaps I can take you girls to visit it one day next week then?"

"Mm, that would be great!" Xiang nodded.

Liu Bei nodded, pleased that they had all come to an agreement.

The double doors to the mansion were wide open, and two doormen stood in wait, bowing respectively as the nurses and Liu Bei approached.

"Your jackets ladies?" the older looking one asked, while the younger one just held out his hands, his eyes never leaving Xiang Li.

"Thank you," Mei giggled, shrugging out of her shawl and handing it to the one who had spoken. The rest of the girls did the same, while Xiang Li gave her jacket to the younger man, winking at him as she watched him checking her out.

They all giggled as he blushed bright red, giving Xiang Li a bow of her own. "T-thank you, my lady," he stammered.

The entrance hall of the palace was even more amazing than the inside. Huge lengths of pearls and gold dropped from the ceilings, while extravagant paintings adorned the walls. The floor was oak, and had been polished to perfection. The stairwell took up most of the huge entranceway, split into two by the wooden railing and curved, leading to the first floor of the mansion.

"This way girls," Liu Bei said, branching off to the right wing of the palace, with five eager nurses on his tail.

They walked for about half a minute more before Liu Bei stopped at a particularly grand wooden door.

"This is the banquet hall, ladies," he informed them, a half-second before pushing it open.

The room was huge, with a long wooden table complete with matching chairs to the left, and a wide expanse of open space, with a stage and grand-looking musical instruments to the right. The middle was empty, extravagant rugs covering the floor in that area.

"Look at all the men!" Liang whispered excitedly in her ear.

At least fifty guys were in the room, some seated around the table (these were the more overweight ones, Mei noticed), others talking amongst themselves or admiring the scenery around the room. But all eyes turned to face the doorway when the girls walked in.

In the bright light of the room, the faces of the various men were all easy to see. Some were old, some were young, some were handsome and others just average. Mei's keen eyes caught on one guy leaning against the wall, his own brown eyes fixed on the women. He was incredibly handsome, his long hair tied into a loose ponytail with a ribbon and dropping over his shoulder.

_Is that Zhao Yun?_

"Oh my gods, there's Zhao Yun!" Liang confirmed Mei's suspicions, still whispering in her ear. "The totally hot one right at the back!"

"I'd like to introduce the wonderful nurses who work backstage on the battlefields, making sure that we all live to fight another day!" Liu Bei declared their arrival proudly, watching the girls giggle and blush while they were clapped and wolf-whistled at.

"There's Liang Sha, Mei Hua, Xiang Li, Xi Lei and..." Liu Bei made her horrified face, going red as he lost the name of the quietest nurse.

"En Xing," Mei muttered, hearing him breath a sigh of relief.

"... and last but not least, En Xing!"

Once all the applause had stopped, Liu Bei told them to enjoy themselves. Xiang Li and Xi Lei immediately made their way to the banquet table, obviously hungry.

"Come with me to the back, Mei!" Liang begged, her beautiful eyes wide with pleading. "I just want to say hi!"

"Alright, fine," Mei agreed, as Liang hooked her arm through hers and they both began to walk towards the back of the room, where Zhao Yun was still standing.

He smiled at them both when they approached, his face even more impressive up close. He held out his hand to Liang first, who took it with a flourish, giggling girlishly.

"I am Zhao Yun, my lady," he told her graciously, lifting her elegant hand to his mouth and kissing it, which made Liang's eyes go wide with bliss.

"Liang Sha, my lord," she told him, once she had captured her breath enough to speak.

Mei took his hand as he offered it to her, kissing it the same way. "And I am Mei Hua, master Zhao Yun."

"Very pleased to meet you girls. You both look stunning," his eyes roamed Liang's form particularly.

Mei Hua wasn't surprised. Liang _did_ look absolutely knockout that night, dressed in a tight scarlet dress with a plunging neckline, emphasizing her fabulous breasts. Her long legs were tanned and muscular, and she was wearing strappy black sandals, her manicured toes peeking prettily out. Her face, as usual, was incredible, and her elbow length chocolate hair was in a messy up do, which looked amazingly sexy.

"Thank you, my lord."

There was silence for a moment, as the three of them gathered their thoughts. As she gazed around the room, Mei's hazel eyes caught something in the vast doorway. It was a man, although his back was to her, talking with Liu Bei. He turned around, and Mei gasped aloud, her eyes wide with shock.

It was the man she had treated all those weeks ago, looking even more handsome than he had done when she had first met him. His thick dark hair was scruffy and jaw length, random strands shadowing his pale green eyes as the rest was tied back in a loose ponytail with green ribbon.

"Mei Hua!" Liu Bei had to shout for his voice to carry across the huge hall.

The man turned to where Liu Bei was pointing, his eyes lighting up as he caught sight of her. He was holding some material in his hands as he hurried over, his long paces making him able to cover the room in less than five seconds.

Mei didn't dare look at Liang's face, which she knew would be excited, confused and shocked. Pretty much the same emotions as Mei was feeling herself, in fact.

"Hello, my lady," the young man grinned, an adorable dimple forming in his left cheek as he did so. "I was hoping to meet you again."

_Should she tell him that she wanted to see him as well? No! Liang had always advised her to play it cool around guys she liked..._ "That's very sweet of you."

"How's it going, Chao?" Zhao Yun asked, holding his hand up for a high five, which "Chao" gave him. _Chao? Is that his family or given name? It sounds more like a given name but..._

"Ma'am, this is Ma Chao the Splendid," Zhao Yun grinned at Liang, who gave Ma Chao her sweetest smile.

"Hi, I'm Liang Sha," Liang smiled, taking the hand that he offered into her own.

"It seems like the two of you have met already?" Liang smiled at Mei, before giving her a look which meant, _Why didn't you mention him before?_

"Yes. Lady Mei Hua was kind enough to treat me after I was shot by an arrow."

"So, how is the wound doing now?" Mei wondered, glancing towards his stomach, which was currently covered by a gorgeous silk tunic.

"Very well, my lady. In fact, it is just a scar now," he beamed at her, and Mei couldn't help but do the same back, already lost in his warm emerald eyes.

"That's great," she murmured.

There was silence, as Ma Chao and Mei just smiled at each other. Then, as if he had only just remembered, Chao lifted the white material he was holding to her eyesight and handed it to her.

"That's mine!" she gasped, surprised. "When did I..."

Chao chuckled. "You left it wrapped around me the day you treated me. I've washed it for you now, so it's clean."

"Oh!" Mei remembered now. She had wrapped the shawl around his broad shoulders because he had been cold. "That's so sweet of you!"

Liang cleared her throat, breaking Mei out of her reverie; staring at Chao's beautiful eyes. "I'm kind of hungry now so I'm going over to eat. I'll just leave you two here then...?" Mei could tell she was dying to tease Mei about her new crush. Wow, she couldn't _wait_ for tonight, when they were all back in the dorm.

"No! I'm going to eat as well," Mei said suddenly, not wanting to be alone with Chao when she didn't know what else to say to him without making a fool out of herself. She needed more of Liang's tips first.

"I'll come with you ladies," she heard Chao say, his hand brushing against Mei's arm for a moment. The seventeen-year-old immediately turned bright red and his touch. _His hands were so warm..._

"Cool. I'm ready to eat too," Zhao Yun added, grinning knowingly at Chao.


End file.
